Simple Things

Van Manen made this dynamic quartet in 2001 for the young dancers of NDT 2. It is a wondrous, seemingly natural creation for two pairs. The ballet opens and closes with a powerful duet for two men, where one watches while the other dances. In between they dance several pas-de-deux with two women, expressing in movement the relationships between two people. In this ballet Van Manen reveals himself as a master of simplicity.